Wine is my passion, real estate feeds it! Tricia & Bob are Real Estate III Realtors in Charlottesville, VA, blogging about real estate news, travel and wine. Coming to Virginia? Give us a call! http://www.welcomehomecharlottesville.com
The morning after a snowstorm is the rainbow of winter. Grey skies are replaced with crystal blue skies and the sun glinting on snow has always looked like diamonds to me.
Pulling on my favorite “wellies”, we headed just around the corner to Burnley Station Road and the nearest grapevines. Sandy Branch Vineyard pristinely awaited with not a footprint in sight. Nothing is prettier than unblemished snow covered ground and I reluctantly waded in, disturbing the fluff in my quest. Heavily snow-laden deer fencing warned me not to approach closely. Darn! I longed to climb over and get a better vantage point, but my husband reminded me that water plus electricity are to be avoided at all cost. This was the best I could capture, wish you could experience this beauty first-hand.
I requested photos from friends to contribute to this photo blog and Kat Schornberg Barnard from Keswick Vineyards and Paulette Musselman from Glass House Winery took some great pictures!
I love living in this part of Virginia, changing seasons, fabulous scenery, great climate, history and more. By the way, the photos at the beginning of this blog are from a home which is presently on the maket and Yes! includes a producing vineyard. Call me or e-mail me if you’re interested! I’d love to show you this property!
Our mission was to select a wine to be released in conjunction with the festival that pairs well with oysters. Accompanying Nick was his wife, Dominique Attaway, a professional photographer and oenophile. Nick arranged for us to do a barrel tasting with Blenheims’ winemaker, Kirsty Harmon.
I had visited Blenheim several times without prior notice, but never had the opportunity to meet Kirsty personally. Gracious and serious about her wines, it was apparent that she was determined to bottle wines with a clean crisp quality and not intended to win competitions just because they appealed to the judges. The three that we sampled were a 2011 Table White: 2/3 Viognier and 1/3 Chardonnay, a Rose: a blend of Cabernet, Mourvedre and Merlot all in stainless steel and a Chardonnay with 25% aged in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels.
The Table White was crisp, vibrant and would pair well with oysters and seafood. The Chardonnay was creamier- nice with a minerality and not overly oaky, and the Rose ideal, chilled for sipping on a warm Spring day. I think it was pretty obvious which wine would be chosen and after some deliberation, it was the Table White.
If you want to see some excellent photography, check out Dominique’s website and some of the shots she captured. We had a similar vision but her pictures were certainly better than mine.
I think Kirsty’s personality came across as sweet, serious and humble, committed to quality and I look forward to her future wines.
I noticed something that had eluded me on past visits to Blenheim, the diamond reflection from the ceiling of the tasting room floor to the barrel room.
I thought it was kind of cool! Thanks for the invitation to Blenheim!
Saturday February 11th & Sunday February 12th, 2012
Since Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year, we’ll be celebrating the weekend before. Come on out to the Tasting Room for a glass of our delicious Rosé and homemade Red Velvet cupcakes! We’ve also got plenty of gift baskets sets and pre wrapped wine bottles if you’re looking for a last minute gift.
Come spoil yourself or someone you love with Keswick Vineyards’ special wine and dessert tasting for a Valentine’s Day indulgence. Discover how these luscious confections complement each wine. After your tasting, enjoy the romantic setting while you savor a glass of wine on our newly enclosed heated porch! The cost is $15 for our wine club members and $20 for non wine club members. Please call ahead as reservations are recommended. (434) 244-3341.
Saturday, February 11th & Sunday, February 12th
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
$10/person
Join us for a wine and chocolate pairing featuring Gearharts Fine Chocolates. We will be sampling three sumptuous chocolates paired with six wines, and you take home your glass. Live music performed by Curtis Prince on both days from 1 p.m.to 5 p.m.
Spend Sunday Feb 12th in the sultry tropical conservatory at Glass House Winery.
Sip wines served at your table, listen to Beleza Brasil’s sexy Valentine’s Day set; all while having chocolates, artisan cheeses, and small dishes paired with your wines.
Feel free to get up and dance…when Beleza plays it is almost impossible not to!
Some special sentiments about Love for your Valentine:
Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.” By Saint-Exupery
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.” The Bible
“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” By Thoreau
Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. – Henry Van Dyke
FYI, they will still be open for Valentine’s Day but this is sad news for at least some local wine lovers.
Siips Wine Bar Closing Its Doors
Siips Wine and Champagne Bar is closing its doors. The Downtown Mall restaurant has been purchased by a local restaurant owner who has plans to re-open it as a upscale supper club.
Siips Wine and Champagne Bar is closing its doors after Sunday, Feb. 19, according to an email sent by owner George Benford’s wife, Patty.
The Downtown Mall restaurant has been purchased by an unnamed local restaurant owner who has plans to re-open it as a upscale supper club in the spring.
Since Siips’ wine inventory was not part of the sale, Benford says they will be selling wine by the glass at deep discounts starting this weekend.
“We want to thank you for all your support and friendship over the last four years. We also want to thank all our employees for all their hard work and the family atmosphere they helped us create,” the email stated.
The restaurant’s schedule for weekend entertainment and Valentine’s Day Dinner will remain the same until it closes.
Last Friday I had the opportunity to join the Darden M.B.A. students at a conference organized and offered by the Wine and Cuisine Club. Planting the Seeds of Business presenters were relevant, educational and entertaining. From the seasoned keynote speaker, Andy Mansinne, President of Aveniu Brands to Jennifer Drapisch of Pernod Ricard, a recent 2010 graduate of Darden, marketing and distribution via the three-tiered system was addressed from all three perspectives. The three-tier system was set up after the repeal of Prohibition. The premise of the system requires producers to sell only to distributors who then sell to retailers, and then only retailers may sell to consumers. The wine business seemed to be the most complicated, dealing with regulations changing from state to state.
Incorporating social media (socialnomics) into the sales plan appears to be crucial and now used by 93% of marketers. You Tube and Facebook lead the way so look for some fun ads during the Super Bowl. Jameson 1780 has an excellent program for marketing via Facebook and The Missing Barrel of Jameson. Fun to play and tag your friends on Facebook. I actually took a break and got hooked by the game, but once I figured out the person who”stole” the barrel, I couldn’t figure out how to enter the answer into the game??
Barefoot wine has recently gotten the attention of the “millennials” and is taking advantage of the Facebook social phenomenon. Originally a brand of a couple of nudists, they were bought out by Gallo and retained only a portion of the original name.
We also learned how to “saber” not “savour” a sparkling wine or a Champagne bottle but unfortunately didn’t get a clear photo of it. A great party trick so, in lieu of a photo I have included a You Tube video “How to Saber” so you can impress your friends or your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day.
Notable quotations of the day:
“The way to make a million in the wine business is to start with 5 million.”
“You have to be different…meaningfully different.” “Wine is very communal.”
“A bottle of wine is intended to be shared-you don’t necessarily share a beer,” (a keg,yes, but not a bottle.)
Good Night Darden and a special thank you to Sara Hester and compadres for an informative, entertaining conference and cocktail party and for inviting me!
Succumbing to temptation AND celebration, the Dreaming Tree wine was particularly vulnerable the other evening. So much for my resolve to save it . We had three reasons that evening for popping the cork 1) our daughter was home for a visit, celebration #1! Our daughter is a huge Dave Matthews fan, celebration #2! She’s getting married-super celebration #3! So…the final determination was to …get the corkscrew and..
Shame on me, blaming this on my child. Now I have to go find the same wine to replace it in my collectors box and agree, wine is meant to be drunk not stored! We were glad that we opened the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast. Silky and soft, a medium bodied wine with blackberry and vanilla aromas. My daughter said it smelled like a cookie! She was correct in noticing the vanilla, I think she has a better sense of wine than I do. Bottom line, an enjoyable evening enhanced by the Dreaming Tree!
I still haven’t tasted the Chardonnay or the Crush…wonder what my next justification will be?
I have to hand it to the graduate students at University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business! A business conference focusing on wine, food, beer and spirits will be hosted next week by one of the larger student clubs, The Wine and Cuisine Club This is an annual conference providing both local and international information and resources for MBA students with personal or professional interests in these industries. WACC (clever name) appears to be a productive wine club, turning a kick back atmosphere for students to socialize and converting it into potential business opportunities. For a limited number of registrants, dinner Thursday evening the 26th, will be at The Local, offering networking opportunities for students with sponsors and presenters. Unfortunately I’ll have to skip the dinner but look forward to learning along with the Darden students at the conference on Friday.
I wonder if Thomas Jefferson knew he was going to be used in marketing endeavors for centuries and that his name would be associated with the birth of wine making in Virginia? Who knows which graduate student will make their mark on history in the wine or food industries? For technical accuracy I took this photo in Williamsburg at the Williamsburg Farmers Market after noticing a clever marketing ploy by Betsy’s Baked Goods! Sorry, I digress…
Keynote speaker will be Andy Mansinne, President of Aveniu Brands, a company that specializes in bringing to the United States of America distinctive brands from some of the world´s foremost production regions. They are the exclusive U.S. marketer for about 30 wine and spirits brands from eight different countries.
After the presentation guest will proceed to breakout sessions with the following speakers:
Vice President, Darden’s Wine and Cuisine Club Conference MBA Candidate, Class of 2012 | Darden Graduate School of Business | University of Virginia and all the people who were involved in coordinating this event!
Courtesy of a friend at Coran Capshaw’sRed Light Management Company in Charlottesville, a much anticipated package arrived at my doorstep. Carefully tearing open the shipping box and immersed in peanuts (not sure if they’re recycleable?) I found an artistically packaged box containing the first three bottles of Dreaming Tree wines. The labels are made with 100% recycled paper, the bottles weigh 1/4 pound less than normal bottles so they cost less to ship showing their commitment to saving energy and sustainability.
The crossover between wine lover and music lover placed me in an immediate quandary. First instinct: Invite my closest family members for a blind tasting to determine how really good these wines are OR close second: save the wines as a collectable bit of Dave Matthews memorabilia. The jury is still out and I’m looking for feedback from wine afficionadoes and/or Dave Matthews Band fans. Everything about me is in battle over this decision. I looked on the website and the wines are sold out but I think I can find the wines individually at retail stores.
The Chardonnay- “When I first met Dave, we talked about making a Chardonnay that captured the distinct citrus notes of the Central Coast. With its big fruit and loads of spice, we think this wine lives up to that promise. We hope you agree.” – Steve Reeder
The Cabernet Sauvignon- has classic aromas of blackberry, cherry and herbal notes wrapped by toasted vanilla. They had this one at our local Target store.
Crush is the wine I’m most curious about especially since it’s had such rave reviews!
“…maybe most important is where you drink it, and who you’re with when you do. When it came time to pick the flavors for their Dreaming Tree Crush wine, Steve, Dave and Tom already considered each other pretty good company (and Dodger and Moose just sweetened the deal). But something about an afternoon under a warm California sun, on an old pier down by a quiet pond and suddenly that wine’s giving up flavors you never knew were there. ” Dodger and Moose are beloved vineyard dogs of Tom Gore! Tom Gore is the director of vineyards at Simi Winery in california.
Returning to my dilemna, the bottle is so cool, the seal on the cork is reflective
and the cork itself is collectable. For the moment I have determined to keep the set in the box-this is probably bad for the wine so maybe I should lay it down? Also, the whole reason that Dave and Steve made this wine is to drink it! Contra-purpose if I store it. Hmmmmm….as for now, no tasting notes from Charlottesville, I’m keeping the bottles corked!
Wine Enthusiast Magazinehas named Virginia as one of the 10 best wine travel destinations for 2012. The article, listed online and in the February issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, highlights Virginia as one of only three domestic destinations to make the list of wine regions that are ideal for wine lovers to visit in 2012. Virginia was named along with regions in Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Hungary, Germany, France, Chile and two regions in California. The article cites Virginia’s rich history, natural beauty and wine makers as some of the many reasons why Virginia is a hot wine travel destination. This article just out on Virginia.Gov!
The North American Wine Bloggers Conference made their way to the East Coast bringing along international publicity for Virginia wines. Over 300 wine bloggers descended on Charlottesville visiting local wineries, dining on the lawn at Monticello and tasting food pairings along Main Street and the Downtown Pedestrian Mall. Governor McDonnell and First Lady Maureen have promoted our vineyards and wineries enthusiastically. First Lady Maureen McDonnell has incorporated wine and wine tourism promotions into her First Lady Initiative Team Effort or FLITE. More domestic and international promotions are planned for 2012.
Having only recently started blogging about wines, I was thrilled to sip alongside world-wide experts at the wining/dining table. Despite intense heat, Virginia wines showed well and local wine-makers relished the opportunity to present their best. Almost simultaneously, Charlottesville was thrust into the limelight by the demise of the Kluge Estate and the “intervention” of consummate real estate investor, Donald Trump. Thus, the new Trump Winery.
Following a year hit by weather extremes, please read the following excerpt from Stephen Barnard’s blog post Mother Nature Ruled 2011 for Keswick Vineyards which illustrates 2011 better than I ever could.
After the 2010 vintage in Virginia [arguably the best in recent times], the 2011 growing season was also going to struggle to reach the lofty standards of its predecessor. To say that 2011 failed miserably, would be similar to saying that Drew Brees had an okay year [this makes sense if you know that he broke Dan Marino’s all time passing yards in a single season, 5084 set in 1984 when Marino played for the Miami Dolphins].
Mother Nature ruled this year and her awesome power was on display more times than anyone of us would wish for. From a devastating earthquake in New Zealand to the horrific Tsunami in Japan, 2011 was littered with catastrophic natural disasters. Closer to home, Tuscaloosa was hit hard by the April 27th Tornado, Virginia experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23rd, quickly followed by the August 27th appearance of hurricane Irene. 2011 was certainly unforgettable, but for all the wrong reasons.
All in all though, I think we manged to dodge a bullet, in that it would have been far corse than what it was. I am thankful for having some experience in Virginia and after working the 2003 harvest, I was way more prepared this time round. I can only shudder and imagine what would have happened had this been my first vintage in Virginia. Overall I give the vintage a B+, the wines are developing character and should be fantastic. Although lighter in style than 2010, these are vibrant wines and will no doubt bring pleasure to many a wine drinker.
I love the end of his blog post extolling the best blend ever, he and wife Kat’s baby girl, Aria, born in December. A 50% blend of each parent, expecting to take 80 years to mature!
After all, it was a very good year.
My friends at Drs. Viglione, Haines and Bagheri selected a new winery-Pippin Hill, to kick off their new name, Charlottesville Dental Health Partners. A fun time for all who could participate, it was the unveiling of their philosophy, Our Focus is On You. Toasting a relationship between health and dental health, dentists partnering with their patients for total body health.
I had the pleasure of visiting many wineries in Virginia this year and even some in England. Lots of fun with family and friends. The potential for the 2012 Virginia wine industry is exciting and I look forward to the progress of our friends and encourage the support of “Drink Local”! I think I made that up?
Spending most of our time on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, we tend to forget about the Shenandoah Valley and all the beauty just less than an hour from Charlottesville. The “Valley” has much to offer including the P. Buckley Moss Museum which contains the permanent collection of Pat Buckley Moss’s art work offering visitors a retrospective tour of her art and life. It features not only religious art, the Virginia collection, but also other modernistic styles not typically associated with Pat’s folksy style. South of Staunton and just off of Interstate 81 in Raphine, Virginia, is a wonderful winery and vineyards started before the more recent surge in the Commonwealth’s grape-growing ventures. Rockbridge Vineyard is the result of the dreams of Shepherd Rouse’s early interest in wine after spending a semester in Germany as a Washington and Lee University geology student. Three years later he returned to Germany on a Fulbright scholarship and decided to learn how to produce fine wine in Virginia. Unlike some of the “gentleman vineyard owners” (nothing wrong with that by the way), Shep has a Masters degree in Enology from University of California at Davis and worked for several noteworthy wineries including Schramsberg, Chateau St. Jean and Carneros Creek .
Holiday Open House
After receiving a timely invitation to the Christmas Open House at Rockbridge, we crossed the mountain into “dairyland”. Red barns, silos, grazing cows and rolling farmland unfolded at a higher elevation than one normally sees grapes cultivated in Virginia. We rolled up the crunchy gravel driveway to the Rockbridge tasting room just before noon. At 11:00 the tasting bar was full and guests were nibbling on comfort food including a barley leek soup, marinated meatballs and Sheps Mom’s recipe for hot cheese dip. Jane Rouse, co-owner and Shep’s wife kept things lively while bustling about making sure that each person was warmly greeted while handling errands at the same time. We were very appreciative of her attentiveness and joined the others in the tasting with Jane pouring for us. Some of their bottles labels feature a drawing of Natural Bridge, located in Rockbridge and one of the oldest tourist destinations in the United States with 20 stories of towering rock walls creating the bridge. The “Reserve” wines are labeled with the De Chiel name hearkening from Shep’s French heritage. Proud of Rockbridge County, Jane encouraged us to visit other sites while in the area and tipped us off to one of the prettier scenic drives in Virginia just west of the vineyards. She also recommended a visit to Wade’s Mill, a short drive down 606. Wade’s Mill is a working flour mill dating back to 1750 and powered by a 21-foot water wheel that is fed by a nearby stream.
The Wines
We started the tasting with the 2010 Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir light bodied with peachy aromas and a sparkling wine quality. A very nice summer porch swing wine in my opinion. The 2010 DeChiel Chardonnay Reserve aged in French oak has a buttery taste without being too oaky. The Tuscarora Red at $10 a bottle is their best seller, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chambourcin. My personal favorite was the 2007 DeChiel Cabernet Franc Reserve, very smooth and well balanced but full bodied and I plan on serving it this weekend. The 2008 DeChiel Meritage is a blend of 5 Bordeaux grapes, we had it with a traditional Carne Guisada (Mexican Stew) and it paired very well. A “fun” wine Jeremiah’s (like the bullfrog) and a “mighty fine wine”, it’s a wine for even non-wine lovers tasting more like concord grapes than wine. Be sure to ask about their Eiswein, V d’Or!
The Rouses have opened up the barn for events and is an ideal spot for small weddings, parties and receptions. Check with them about the reasonable price for the facility. Rustic, well lit, tables provided and plenty of ambience.
A Lovely Weekend in the Country
All in all, we found the drive well worthwhile. A lovely drive, country hospitality, fun gifts in the tasting room including local art work, good wine and a good time. Hard to beat when you’re looking for something different to do for a relaxing weekend. As Ferris Buehler would say, “I highly recommend it!”.
The morning after a snowstorm is the rainbow of winter. Grey skies are replaced with crystal blue skies and the sun glinting on snow has always looked like diamonds to me.
Courtesy of a friend at 
Charlottesville UnCorked 